Agenda - 08-25-2008- c2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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c~a ERCD Advisory Boards and Staff Revisions to NCSE -Attachment # 4 1 3. Mechanisms and local government program offerings that address 2 profitability and augment agricultural infrastructure should be 3 pursued adopted, and promoted. 4 Orange County Government should continue to examine and 5 modify regulations that may be unnecessarily onerous. The 6 County may wish to review state regulations as part of this 7 effort and consider requesting special legislation, as 8 appropriate. 9 Orange County should continue to identify suitable locations 10 for agricultural facilities--processing centers, community 11 kitchens, demonstration tracts, community gardens and the 12 like. 13 The county needs a better link between producers and 14 consumers, particularly for potentially large-scale buyers such 15 as restaurants, institutions, and grocery store chains. This is 16 an area where government can help through brokering 17 programs, the dissemination of information, and the creation 18 and management of websites and directories. 19 Local farmers need access to business planning. This type of 20 assistance can also help verify if the crops they are spending 21 the most money on are really bringing in the highest return. 22 The County should also encourage small-scale farmers to 23 pursue more cooperative ventures ,and seek more regional 24 programs to compete with corporate operations. 25 f4 There is a need for more inter- and intra-governmental cooperation ' 26 with regard to agricultural and forestry programs. 27 The County needs to include the municipalities in a 28 countywide vision for agriculture to better accommodate 29 farms located in the towns' extra territorial jurisdictions. 30 County departments should develop more cooperation among 31 each other and among the various agricultural agencies that 32 serve local farmers. Farm programs often remain isolated 33 from county regulatory programs administered through the 34 Planning Department and Environmental Heath. 35 Q.-m--i~~;~~e-'~ tea~rThe county needs to teach the next 36 generation about farming and encourage some to pursue farming 37 as an occupation. 38 All local residents should have an appreciation of the farming 39 community, an understanding of where their food and other 40 agricultural products come from, and the nutritional benefits 41 of eating local foodstuffs. 42 Farm-related education should go beyond the classroom and 43 provide hands-on training. Dv'avu~iCytw~ty Cvm~v~ell~wei~larv Public Hearing Draft 5-6-OS Pie 6-2X